Please select your home edition
Edition
Cyclops Marine 2023 November - LEADERBOARD

RORC race around the Isle of Wight

by Trish Jenkins 16 Jun 2020 22:05 PDT 1 August 2020
Race the Wight © Trish Jenkins

A race around the Isle of Wight on Saturday 1st August will see the return to competitive racing at the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) - the first since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The race will replace the originally scheduled Channel Race and is open to COVID-19 compliant crews following Government regulations in both the Two Handed and family/same-household classes. Race entries are required to have an IRC TCC of 0.900 and above.

The Notice of Race is available here.

Entries and registration through RORC Sailgate: rorc.sailgate.com

RORC Racing Manager Chris Stone comments: "It's been extremely difficult to know what changes to racing will allow us to go back to our original programme; taking into consideration the current regulations and social distancing measures, plus the need to protect the integrity of the season pointscore. It's our belief that the Channel Race may be a little too early to allow fully crewed racing and would potentially be difficult with regulations not permitting overnight racing. We therefore think a race around the Isle of Wight (for those who can), is a great compromise as crews can enjoy a distance race with an offshore element whilst still remaining close to the Solent."

Starting from the Royal Yacht Squadron line in Cowes, the 50-nautical mile race will adhere to the latest Government guidelines and advice from the RYA and World Sailing. The safety of all competitors, staff and volunteers are of primary concern as the RORC continues to monitor the Coronavirus outbreak carefully.

The fleet will race anti-clockwise, heading westwards towards Yarmouth, leaving the Solent and rounding the famous Needles Lighthouse before making their way along south-west coast of the Island to St. Catherine's Point before crossing Sandown Bay to round the Bembridge Ledge. The fleet then makes its way either side of No Man's Land Fort and across Osborne Bay to the finish line back at Cowes.

RORC member, Mike Slade's ICAP Leopard raced around the course in 3h 43m and regular RORC racer, Ned Collier Wakefield took just 2h 22m on the MOD70 Concise 10 - just short of Brian Thompson's ratified World Sailing Speed Racing Council record of 2h 2m 31s in Phaedo3 in Sept 2016! Although these records show the potential speeds possible from these impressive racing machines, the course can take anything up to 12 hours for some of the smaller entries.

All competitors will register their own finish times after crossing the line and submit them for the final results.

"It should be a very nice day of racing for those two handed teams who can follow the guidelines and those sailing families/households who can do the same," continues Stone. "Sadly the timing of the tides doesn't allow us to include the smaller entries, but we think we can give most people a start and their first longer race since the lockdown. Staff and volunteers are really looking forward to Race the Wight as well; I think it's good for everyone.

"We have some nice Musto prizes for the class winners and for our overall winner, and with entry fees going to the Scaramouche Sailing Trust and the NHS, we couldn't be happier about the whole event. It's a great way to re-start the season," concludes RORC Racing Manager, Stone.

For more information visit www.rorc.org.

Related Articles

4 Ultim rocketships to contest Rolex Fastnet Race
The giant 32m long by 23m wide flying trimarans are taking part in the 100th anniversary edition While the 50ft flying catamarans competing at SailGP Portsmouth this weekend will be impressive, charging out of the opposite western end of the Solent will be giant 32m long by 23m wide flying Ultim trimarans taking part in the 100th anniversary edition. Posted today at 6:45 pm
Admirals' Cup: Predictwind weather supplier
Predictwind champions diversity and empowers Women in Offshore Racing PredictWind, a global leader in marine weather forecasting, is proud to announce its significant involvement in the upcoming Admiral's Cup 2025. Posted on 17 Jul
IMOCAs in the Rolex Fastnet Race
Ocean racing's state of the art One of the most historic and eternally ground-breaking oceanic racing yacht classes is the IMOCA. These 60 footers are the world's most advanced offshore racing monohulls, the class used in the Vendée Globe since its inception in 1989/90. Posted on 16 Jul
Blind Sailor's solo Round the Island Challenge
Dani A. Pich is aiming to navigate his Patí Català catamaran around the Isle of Wight next week A truly remarkable challenge is underway on the Solent, with blind sailor Dani A. Pich aiming to sail solo around the Isle of Wight in a catamaran dinghy that has no rudder, no centreboard, no boom and is steered by the use of balance and body weight. Posted on 16 Jul
RORC Channel Race 2025 Preview
The high-stakes opener of the 2025 Admiral's Cup The 2025 RORC Channel Race is the high-stakes opener of the 2025 Admiral's Cup—and the pressure is on. With double points on the table and no discard allowed, this race could make or break a team's Admiral's Cup campaign. Posted on 16 Jul
The Iconic Admiral's Cup Returns!
Harken UK caught up with the RORC CEO and Admiral's Cup sailors ahead of the event After a long hiatus, this prestigious international yachting regatta makes its grand comeback from 17- 31 July at The Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) in Cowes, Isle of Wight. Posted on 15 Jul
A century of human endeavour
The Fastnet Race is regarded as one of offshore sailing's most complete proving grounds For 100 years, the Rolex Fastnet Race has been regarded as one of offshore sailing's most complete proving grounds. It is a place where ambitions and dreams meet harsh reality, where skill, endurance and fortitude are severely tested. Posted on 15 Jul
Rolex Fastnet Race IRC Four preview
The pinnacle of grass roots sailing has 97 entries The very largest yachts, including the 100ft Ultim foiling trimarans and 60ft IMOCAs are an essential part of the spectacle of the Fastnet Race, however a critical element in the race's enduring appeal is that this is predominately a grass roots event. Posted on 14 Jul
RORC Cowes Dinard St Malo Race concludes
Farr 100 Leopard 3, skippered by Joost Schuijf, completed a remarkable hat-trick Organised by the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC), in association with the UNCL, Yacht Club de Dinard, Société Nautique de la Baie de St Malo, JOG and the Royal Yacht Squadron. Posted on 14 Jul
Double Double
And the rest of the line is not toil and trouble, but quadruple, then another double… On the eve of the 100th Fastnet that has attracted some 464 entries, I heard of one entry in this record fleet that seemed so very apt. Not only because it includes the Commodore of the RORC, but because it combines two Brits and two Aussies. Posted on 13 Jul
Allen Dynamic 40 FooterMackay Boats 728x90 BOTTOMCyclops Marine 2023 November - FOOTER